


Senpai One Shots

by ChiefofPigs



Category: Notice Me Senpai! (Video Game)
Genre: And I love them very much, Drabbles, F/M, Graduation, Long haired Wakatoshi, No real theme to these, One Shot Collection, Short One Shot, The boys are so cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-23 13:36:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10720371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChiefofPigs/pseuds/ChiefofPigs
Summary: A small collection of side stories regarding Kouhai and the senpai/sensei. Just a place for me to put things that are cute and short. In and out of relationships with the senpai.





	1. Maid Cafe Set (Katsuo)

You had spent a good week coming up with a menu for the cafe. Today was the first day that you were officially using it, propping them up on the tables so the senpai could take a look before ordering.

The day was moving along quickly. All of the senpai commented on the menus and complimented on how cute they were, but for the most part they didn’t order anything out of normal.

It was about time for some of the clubs to wrap up, so you prepped fresh pots of tea and coffee for the rush of boys. They came and went, many of them ordering coffee to go. You sighed. The menu didn’t have the impact that you were hoping it would.

Katsuo was sitting in front of the window, staring at one of the menus as though he were having a hard time deciding. By the time he called you over, ready to order, he was the only one left in the cafe.

“What can I get for you, Katsuo? An iced tea?” You pulled a pen from behind your ear and a pad of paper from your apron.

“Actually, I was going to ask for the Maid Cafe Set? With the parfait and omelet?” A slight blush tipped his ears, the only sign that he was embarrassed.

“Maid Cafe Set, coming up,” You scribbled in your pad and nodded with a smile. This was a new item you had added to the menu and he was the first one to order it, so it seemed as though the menu was at least good for something. “It’ll be a few minutes, I hope you don’t mind the wait.”

“Mm, take your time,” He pulled his hand through his hair, hiding his face behind his arm.

You went to the kitchen and whipped up the omelet, layering the strawberries and cream in a glass as the eggs cooked in the pan. You pulled a large almond colored plate from the cupboard and placed it on a serving tray, folding the omelet on it nicely, setting a few more sliced strawberries along the side. Then came the parfait along with a bottle of ketchup and you walked back out to where the swimmer was waiting, tray in hands.

“Here you are, senpai,” You placed the dessert gently in front of him before moving the plate onto the table. You tucked the tray under your arm and shook the bottle of ketchup for a few seconds, leaning forward to write on the omelet. It was something you had practiced for your grandmother over the past few days in preperation for the cafe. You wrote “love” across the top of the eggs, the letter “o” being replaced with a cute heart. You nodded, proud of how well it had turned out. You turned the plate to face Katsuo, looking into his eyes as you smiled. “Please enjoy.”

Katsuo let out a soft noise, coughing to clear his throat. “I’m sure I will, Kouhai-chan,” his voice came out sounding strangled. “Thank you.”

You walked back to the counter, grabbing a bucket of water and cloth to clean the other tables. You watched from the corner of your eye as he stiffly ate the food, a blush taking over his face as the omelet slowly disappeared.

You wrapped up your cleaning at the same time as his spoon clinked against the parfait glass one last time. He dropped a handful of coins on the table and stood, looking over at you until he caught your attention.

“It was very good. I think I’ll have to order that again next time.” He looked directly into your eyes with a smile overtaking his mouth.

“I’m glad you liked it, Katsuo-senpai. Please come again soon!”

As soon as the bell jingled as the door closed behind him, you let out a soft cheer. Maybe the menu was going to make a difference after all!


	2. Kissed by an Angel (Suzuki)

You flipped the sign on the door to ‘closed’, signifying the end of the night for you and the overused coffee machines. You moved around from table to table, flipping the chairs over to rest on the tabletops once they were wiped down. Going to the front counter, you picked up your music player from under the register and grabbed the broom and dustpan, flicking through playlists until you found the one you were looking for.

Sticking the buds in your ears and the player in your apron pocket, you hummed along to the music as you swept around the tables, gathering straw wrappers, flyaway sugar packets, cake crumbs, and the occasional plastic fork. It used to bother you that there was so much trash left behind, but with how busy the cafe would get and the tight schedules of so many of the senpai, it didn’t much faze you anymore.

Getting under the final table, you thought you saw something move in your peripheral. Hypersensitive, you pulled out your music, wrapping the cord around your neck, peering at the shivering kitchen door.

“Hey.”

With a curse, you turned around to face the voice, brandishing the broom defensively in front of you. There you found the grinning face of your boyfriend, who seemed to be trying his hardest not to laugh.

“Suzuki, don’t come up on me like that! Don’t laugh, it scared me!”

“Sorry. You were just so focused, it was too hard to resist.” He grabbed the pole for the dustpan and gestured you to sweep the small pile into it. With a huff, you did so, taking the pan from him roughly and stalking off to dump it in the trash can.

He helped you finish wipe down the last few things on your list and tied up the trash, setting it outside the back door of the kitchen to be picked up in the morning. Stepping back inside, he came over and wrapped his arms around you in a tight hug.

“I’ve missed you,” he murmured in your hair, taking in a deep breath as though to memorize your scent.

“Mmm, me too. I thought you were still on tour.”

“We just got back into town and I had hoped you were still here. I wanted to see you as soon as possible.”

“Scaring me wasn't nice.”

His body shook with a silent laugh. “Sorry about that.”

He held you in silence for a moment, simply needing the touch and verification that you were there, with him. The almost silent sound of music floated from the earbuds around your neck and you stepped back, pulling it from your pocket.

“Sorry, I thought I had turned it…” Your words fell silent as a look of recognition passed over Suzuki’s face. “What?”

“Is that...my new album?”

You were going to deny it, but felt the instant rush of heat to your cheeks at being found out giving him the answer he needed.

“How long have you had it?”

“I, uh, bought it on release day.” You paused the music and shoved it into the pocket once more.

“I didn't think you were interested in it.” He looked slightly offended. “If I’d known you wanted it, I could have given you the deluxe version and autographed it.”

“Of course I was interested, I’m dating you, you know! And…” The blush spread to your ears and neck.

He waited for you to continue. When you didn't, he pushed, “And?”

“You...you said that I had inspired you a lot for this album. But you wouldn't let me hear you practice or anything. Then you went on tour.”

“Aww, babe. I had wanted to sing it to you in person after it was all finished.” He reached over and pulled the player out of your pocket, unplugging the earbuds and scrolling through the songs until he found the one he was looking for. “The timing of the tour wasn't great, but I was hoping you wouldn't have heard it yet when I came back.” He met your gaze and gave you a slightly embarrassed smile. “You know which one it is, right?”

“Kissed by an Angel,” you said, your voice nearly a whisper.

“Well, no time like the present.” He clicked the play button and the musical introduction started, the notes bouncing around the empty kitchen. “Also, I expect to get some of those angel kisses later,” he added with a wink.


	3. Photographs (Yamato & Suzuki)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The short fic I wrote for Yamato and Suzuki on http://welove-nms.tumblr.com  
> The boys are graduating and we have to say goodbye. (Though they will forever be in our hearts.)

Classes had ended for the day. You packed up your bag and said goodbye to your classmates as you made your way out of school, waving at your friends and upperclassmen as you crossed the field to the third year cafe. Reaching the little building, you pulled out the key and wiggled the lock open, the jingling bell welcoming you as you flipped the sign to “open”, turning on lights as you made your way to the counter. There would be a short rush of students before clubs started and you pulled your apron on, getting the coffee machines started.

Boys came and went as they gathered up takeaway cups, dashing off to their separate clubrooms and outdoor areas to meet up with their friends and classmates. Once the stream of senpai had stopped and there was time to relax, you pulled out your phone and a pad of paper, jotting down the delivery orders you had gathered during the morning and afternoon.

The student council had set one up earlier, but Seiichi had already come and picked it up from you. There was the iced tea for Sousuke, but he generally preferred having it closer to the end of practice so it wouldn't get too warm sitting out. Hideki and Jae had sent you requests, so you could take those at the same time, since the dance room and 3-B classroom weren't too far apart. Finally, there was Suzuki and Yamato, who both said they would be in the music room for when you arrived.

Getting the coffees and tea prepared and tucked safely in a carry case, you flipped the sign once more and locked up behind you as you walked back to the main building.

Jae was happy to take a break from his workout to chat for a moment before you excused yourself. Hideki was grumbling as he examined something closely on his laptop, faintly thanking you for the espresso as he began chugging it and wildly typing away on the small keyboard. You decided it would be best to leave him be. Viktor-sensei had probably squirreled out of teaching a class again.

Shifting the case from one hand to the other, you made your way to the music room across the building. It wasn’t a path you were very familiar with, as Yamato and Suzuki were often away from school on their tours and shows across the country. The fact that they were both there at the same time was a rare opportunity in itself.

As you came up to the door, you could hear them talking to each other, though you couldn’t hear more than the tone of their voices through the solid wood. Every so often there was a piano note struck and a few melodious hums that followed. You knocked on the door and slowly opened it up, not wanting to surprise them. They must not have heard the knock, as they were standing by the piano, heads together, scribbling down notes on sheets of paper. Yamato was tapping his pencil eraser on the piano rhythmically and Suzuki was trailing his finger across the sheets, mouthing the words that were written.

The sight of the two boys standing and working together was fairly endearing. Despite their very different backgrounds and musical styles, they always supported each other. Slipping your hand into your apron pocket, you pulled out your phone and opened up the camera, aligning the boys in the center as you took a picture.

The sound of the shutter felt loud in your ears and was enough to make the boys aware of your presence. Yamato made a small frown as he looked up to see you standing with your phone out and Suzuki caught your eye with a grin. You took the chance to take another photo and Suzuki laughed, entertained as Yamato made a show of rolling his eyes.

“Kouhai, what exactly are you doing?”

You shoved your phone back in your pocket and felt the tips of your ears burn at being caught. “Delivering your drinks, of course.”

“Thank you so much!” Suzuki came around the piano and took the case from you, setting it on the piano and handing Yamato’s drink to him, taking a sip of his mocha cappuccino. “Delicious as always, Kouhai-chan.”

You felt a smile spread slowly across your lips as Suzuki complimented you, his bright and cheery personality making up for any gloom that came off of Yamato, who had grumbled a thanks before drinking his own coffee.

“What are you guys working on?” You stepped closer and peeked at the music sheets. Yamato cleared his throat and gathered them up, stacking them together and flipping them face down. You gave him an unimpressed look and Suzuki chuckled.

“It’s a piece we’re working on together for the graduation ceremony,” he said. “Come on, Yama, there’s no need to get all upset at her for being curious.”

He huffed before softening, his shoulders relaxing. “Yeah, we decided to make a song for graduation. We’re still trying to figure out if we want to make something from scratch or do an updated version of the school anthem...or something like that.”

“That sounds super cool, you guys. I can’t wait to hear it.” You tried to keep your tone upbeat. The final exams were just around the corner and the heartache of losing your precious friends kept you up some nights. You knew some were planning to go to the affiliated college but others were going to other colleges or out of country or starting to take over portions of the family business. You were scared that many of them would move on with their lives and forget about the small cafe girl who was only there on scholarship.

As though sensing a sadness around you, Suzuki reached an arm around your shoulders and gave you a half hug, tipping the dregs of his coffee into his mouth. He tossed it towards the garbage can in the corner of the room and it fell short, hitting the side of the can and skittering off to the side. He sighed dramatically as he left your side and went to pick it up and throw it away properly.

Yamato came round the piano to take Suzuki’s place, setting a gentle hand on your shoulder. “Hey,” he whispered, leaning his head down to speak closer to your ear. “I’m planning on going to Ikeman’s college campus for a few years still. My manager knows that I find my education important.” He paused as Suzuki went back to the music sheets and spread them back out, humming a tune to himself. “I hope you’ll come visit me when I’m around.”

You turned to look up at him with a tentative smile. “I’d love to, Yamato-senpai.”

A small tweak at the corner of his mouth was the only reaction you received. He slipped his hand down your back and before you realized it, had reached into the apron pocket for your phone.

“Hey,” you cried out and reached for it, where he was dangling it above your head. “Yamato-senpai, give it back!”

A true grin spread across his face as he continued to hold it up, unlocking the phone and opening the gallery. He gave you a look and snorted at the most recent photos. “You take a lot of selfies, Kouhai. And...is that Jéan? Ahaha!”

You felt your face burn as you reached up again for his hand. “That’s not nice, give me my phone back!”

He gave you a smirk before tossing it towards Suzuki over the piano. Suzuki caught it deftly and turned the front towards him, taking a look at the pictures on the screen. You glared at Yamato and walked over to Suzuki, who you were sure would return it to you.

“Hey, if you’re taking selfies with Jéan, you should take one with us.” He poked your cheek and smiled. “A selfie with you in it would be much cuter than a picture of just me and Yama.”

You rolled your eyes, not sure if he was buttering you up or not. “Then will you give me my phone? I’ll stand in the middle.”

Suzuki gladly handed it to you and gave a puppy-eyed look at Yamato, who had grimaced the moment his name and “selfie” were spoken in the same sentence. He sighed and came to stand by your other side, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Let’s get this over with.”

Suzuki cheered and squeezed in close as soon as you had the camera open. He ordered Yamato to come in closer, who grumbled but followed direction. You held out the phone in front of you with both hands to make sure the three of you were in frame.

“Okay, say cheese. One, two, three, cheese!” Suzuki threw up a peace sign and a wink at the last moment and Yamato stuck out his tongue, flashing his silver piercing as the shutter sounded out. “Are you guys kidding me? At least let me take a nice one.”

They both laughed and you took another one, letting out your own giggle as they both gave you exasperated sighs. You counted down again and the three of you wore natural smiles as you took a final picture. You stepped back and placed your phone in the apron pocket once more.

“Hey, send me that picture when you have a chance, okay?” Suzuki asked, straddling the piano bench as he sat.

“Mmm, I would like it as well.”

You smiled at them and picked up the carrying case once more. “Of course! I have to go do another delivery, but it was so great to hang out with you guys for a minute. Good luck on the song.”

Suzuki laughed and said, “Get out of here before we dedicate it to you.”

You grinned and waved at them as you turned to leave the room. But as you touched the handle, you hesitated. You swirled back around and ran over to Suzuki, giving him a short hug before moving over to Yamato to do the same, making it quick enough that they had no real time to respond.

“Please come by the cafe soon, okay?” you said as you stepped away to the door one last time.

“Of course!”

“Sure thing.”

They replied at the same time and you waved another goodbye before yanking the door open and speeding along the corridor to the stairs that would lead you outside, back to the cafe. The cafe you were sure they would visit again sometime, even after they graduated. You were certain of it.


	4. Confession (Soujiro)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The short fic I wrote for Soujiro on http://welove-nms.tumblr.com  
> A bit of angst, a bit of fluff. The boys are graduating, but we will forever love them.

When Soujiro had initially confessed to you, you had rejected him politely, telling him that you appreciated the compliment but that you didn’t really know him very well and would like to start off as friends first. He had complied and treated you as sweetly as before, inviting you to his shows and leaving notes for you under the tea tray to discover when you cleaned up his table.

By the end of the school year, you knew that you loved him. How gentle he was with you, his patience with everybody he met, the way your heart fluttered when he gave you a soft smile. But the timing of realization couldn’t be any worse.

Graduation was right around the corner and he was insanely busy with his schoolwork and a gallery showing for the week after. You had been seeing less and less of him and the times that he did have a minute to come by the cafe, he had been ordering to go, his hair slightly frumpled, strands escaping his hair tie and drooping around his face. When you tried to start a conversation, he would give short replies and would escape as soon as he could. You wouldn’t lie to yourself, you worried that it had taken you too long to reply to his confession and he had moved on. The thought made your chest hurt, but you continued to smile brightly for him.

The days crawled by and you busied your thoughts with studying for your own exams, going over notes and study books in the cafe between orders. However when Soujiro would come in, you would give him your full attention, much to his friend Hajime’s interest, who would often accompany him.

Once, you had slipped and left the honorific off Soujiro’s name and though he didn’t seem to notice, Hajime gave you a raised eyebrow and a smile, leaving you a blushing, stammering mess. When they left, you watched out the window to see Hajime bring a hand up and slam it on Soujiro’s back, causing him to stumble and nearly drop his cup. Hajime’s laugh could be heard through the thick glass.

The final week came and went in a flurry of tests and endless coffee runs. You felt the days slip through your fingers, hyper aware of the lack of time you had left to tell Soujiro your feelings before the graduation ceremony. It was a few days away when inspiration struck. You were up late that night and the next, placing sleep as second in comparison to your gift for Soujiro.

It was the day before the graduation ceremony and the final exams for the third years were wrapping up. The cafe was busier than it had been all month, all the senpai coming in for desserts and celebratory drinks. You were running around, trying to keep an eye out for the one boy you were truly interested in talking to, giving everyone else passing smiles and greetings as you kept yourself busy.

The door chimed as it opened once again and the booming voice of Hajime saying hello to some of his classmates caught your attention and you twirled your head around to confirm that   
Soujiro was with him, looking visibly more relaxed than he had been for weeks, though a bit tired. Your heart began to beat furiously in your chest and you forced yourself not to run to the counter to meet them.

“What can I get for you Soujiro-senpai? Hajime-senpai?”

“I’ll take some macarons if you still have some!” Hajime said with a smile as you nodded.

“Soujiro-senpai?”

He gazed at the list of drinks and desserts that you had printed out on the counter, looking but not really seeing. It wasn’t until Hajime nudged him that he cleared his throat and glanced up at you, ordering his usual tea.

“If you want to find a seat, I’ll get that ready for you.” You reached into the dessert case next to the counter and used a pair of tongs to pull out a few macarons, placing them in a bag. “Here you are, Hajime-senpai.” You thanked him when he gave you a few coins in payment and stepped into the kitchen to get the tea ready.

With trembling fingers, you placed the kettle and teacups on the tray. Taking a deep breath, you set a sealed tube on the side. You picked up the tray and stepped back out of the kitchen, the cafe noticeably emptier than before. You eyed Soujiro at a corner table and took a deep breath, taking determined steps to place it on the table in front of him.

“Here you are, Soujiro-senpai.”

“Thank you, Kouhai-chan.”

You took a step back and waited for him to notice the extra item on the tray. It wasn't until he had already poured himself a steaming cup that he paused and set the pot back down, picking up the tube.

“Is this...for me?”

“Y-Yes.” You cursed yourself for stuttering in this moment.

He slowly popped off the cap and pulled out the canvas inside. Giving you a short glance, he rolled open the sheet, smoothing it out, revealing the contents. Your heart roared in your ears, the thumping all you could hear.

Over a hundred origami sakura flowers shaped the kanji for ‘love’, the same one that he had painted for you. You hadn't trusted yourself to paint it as smoothly and effortlessly as he had, but you knew you could place the paper flowers just where you wanted before gluing them down.

A heavy silence bore down on the two of you as he stared at the sheet, unblinking. The dark emotions of self-doubt and being unwanted creeped in the back of your mind the longer you waited for a reply. Maybe he had moved on. Maybe you had taken too long to reciprocate. Maybe he had mistaken his feelings of friendship for love and he didn't actually want to be with you in a romantic relationship. Maybe...

“Soujiro-senpai, I…”

“Kouhai-chan, I…”

You both started to speak at the same time and stopped, waiting for the other to continue. The seconds felt like hours. He was still staring at the flowers and his normally steady hands were trembling. It was this that finally broke you.

“I...I’m sorry, Soujiro-senpai. Please do whatever you want with it.” Knowing your voice was shaky and there were tears pricking your eyes, you turned on your heel and dashed into the kitchen before anyone could stop to talk to you and ask what was wrong.

You hung up your apron and rubbed the tears from your eyes with the back of a wrist as you gathered your bag and keys, leaving the cafe through the back entrance. If anyone asked why you weren't in the cafe the next day, you would tell them you had suddenly felt ill and didn't want to kick everybody out. It wouldn't really be a lie.

\----

You arrived at the graduation ceremony. You were anxious that you would run into Soujiro. He hadn’t contacted you at all since your confession and you had no idea what you would say if you were to interact with him today. But you had many other friends who were graduating today and you wanted to be there to support them.

You sat with your grandmother near the middle of the auditorium where they were holding the ceremony. The seating filled quickly as the teachers and principal lined up on stage to congratulate the students as they received their certificate. The house lights began to dim and your grandmother took your hand, smoothing out your fingers that had been fidgeting with the bottom of your skirt.

“I’m sure you will miss your friends, my dear,” she whispered. “But remember that this is a big day for them. Be happy for the time spent with them.”

Even though she was misinterpreting your anxiety, the words were appreciated. She had been here year after year for the graduation ceremony back when she ran the cafe, after all. You gave her a smile and turned back to face the stage as Ren stood at the podium to give a speech as the salutatorian. You had to hold back a laugh as he said a mere paragraph before slouching back to his place, always saying the minimum amount as possible. Honestly, you were surprised he had gone up at all. Touru took his place as the valedictorian and you settled yourself in for a much longer speech.

As Touru continued to drone on about how proud he was for all of them and how he hoped they would all do well in their future college studies, you found yourself glancing over the other third years who were sitting in the seats in the very front of the auditorium. Even though you told yourself not to, you found yourself staring at the back of Soujiro’s head, his signature bun holding your attention. He turned his head slightly, whether because he could feel your eyes on him or because he was whispering to one of his cousins sitting next to him, but it was enough to startle you into listening intently to Touru once again as though you had been doing so the entire time.

After Touru wrapped up, the principal stood and gave a few lines before moving the podium back and handing the mic to his secretary, who began to list the names, leaving the principal open to shake hands and give the students their graduation papers. The students stood and made their way to the side of the stage, each stepping out and having their picture taken with the principal as they were called.

You held back a laugh as Jéan gave an exaggerated wink to the audience and let out a relieved sigh when Itsuki received his diploma, a huge smile on his face as he saw you, gesturing to the bright blue suit he was wearing for the occasion. Both Yamato and Suzuki looked tired, but happy that they were there. You almost didn’t recognize Takahiro without one of his work uniforms, wearing a fitted suit instead. 

When Soujiro crossed the stage between his cousins, you held your breath. You could tell he was searching the crowd for you, but ran out of time before Sousuke’s name was called. You let your breath out slowly through your nose, closing your eyes and trying not to think too hard for the rest of the ceremony.

The principal gave a few final pieces of advice before dismissing everyone, the applause still ringing in your ears when you squeezed out the doors leading to the field outside. Your grandmother had stayed behind to chat with a few of the faculty that she had good relations with, telling you to go out and say goodbye to your friends before you left.

Peering around the groups of family and friends that had come to support their loved ones, you moved to a less crowded area in the grass, wondering who you should try to find first to congratulate. You had finally made a decision when you heard your name being shouted from a hundred feet behind you. You turned around to see Hajime, Sousuke, and Hinata.

The twins unfurled a banner spread between two poles once they saw you had faced them and Hajime shouted, “He says yes!” You felt a heated blush burn across your cheeks as you read the text on the banner in familiar handwriting.

I love you.

“They are most embarrasing sometimes.” You turned around to see Soujiro standing a couple steps away, a sweet smile on his face. “Hajime insisted.”

“S-Soujiro-senpai?”

His smile turned bashful as he reached out to take your hand in his. “I feel that I came off as a complete idiot yesterday. I made the very smart decision to stay up late to work on some pieces for the gallery next week and didn’t realize that I had left myself no room to rest for the night before the final exams. Thankfully I was able to pass them, but it left me very little brain power for the rest of the day.” At your expression, his face turned serious. “I do not like to make excuses for myself. When I saw the absolutely beautiful confession you made to me, I have to admit that I was startled...and also very flattered.” His voice dropped and he looked down to watch his thumb stroke your knuckles. “You remembered that sakura flowers are my favorite.”

“Of course I remembered,” you said, your heart fluttering in your chest at his touch, what his words were leading to. “I remember everything about you.”

His cheeks turned pink as he looked up again to meet your gaze. “I would like to say it myself.” He cleared his throat with a slight cough. “I love you. Will you accept my feelings?”

“Yes!”

He beamed and pressed his forehead to yours. “I am the happiest person in the whole word, having the chance to be with you.”

You closed your eyes and etched this scene into your memory. The smell, the sound of the crowd around you, the warmth of Soujiro’s breath on your face. You knew that you were smiling as wide as he was. “I love you, Soujiro.”

“I love you, too.”


	5. Cute as a Button (Hajime)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The short fic I wrote for Hajime on http://welove-nms.tumblr.com  
> Hajime is graduating, but you know that this is only the beginning of a wonderful relationship.

“Hajime, here’s your coffee.” You set the large mug in front of your boyfriend and sat across from him, leaning your elbow on the table and setting your chin in your hand.

“Thanks, babe.” He said with a grin before taking a big gulp from the mug, closing his eyes as the steam floated up in his face.

You admired the different look he was wearing today. He wore a white headband to pull his hair back from his face. The short sleeves of his school uniform did little to hide the muscles of his biceps, which strained against the fabric withholding them as he wrote calculations on the notebook in front of him. His brown vest stretched across his broad shoulders and you couldn’t help but imagine him in his revealing festival outfit, when you could see his bare chest flex as he beat on his taiko drums.

“...don’t you think, babe?”

“Hmm?” You flicked your eyes to meet his, just realizing that he had been saying something to you. The grin on his face turned to a smirk and you felt your cheeks flush slightly. “Sorry, what was that?”

“I was saying that it’s been pretty slow in the cafe lately.”

You looked around as he downed more coffee and agreed with him with a few absentminded nods. There were a few other boys who were studying while having a snack and their preferred form of caffeine. “I guess the last of the exams are tomorrow. Everyone’s been studying hard, including you.” You turned back to him and sat up, gesturing toward his study books. “You’re doing math and English tomorrow, right?”

“Sure am! I’m surprised you remembered, what with your own schedule being as busy as it is!”

You smiled and averted your eyes, looking down at your hands on the table. “You’re my boyfriend, of course I remembered.”

Hajime moved his free hand to place it on yours, enveloping your hands with his, the warmth seeping through your skin and up your arms. “You’re the best girlfriend in the whole world! Do you have any other exams left?”

“Mmm, I finished my last one today. We won’t be getting our final results until the end of tomorrow, though. I think I did well.”

“I’m sure you did great! Ikeman didn’t bring you on just because of your grandma! Heaven knows how much you’ve helped me with my own studies this year.”

As he complimented you, you felt the initial blush you wore spread across your cheeks up to the tips of your ears. “You give me too much credit. You’ve helped me plenty this year, too!”

He chuckled and reached up to tuck a loose lock of hair back into his headband. “I never claimed to be the smartest guy in the world, but thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The two of you fell into a comfortable silence as he eventually turned his gaze from your face to the workbook in front of him, writing out formulas and solving problems that Soujiro had prepped for him. His other hand still rested on yours, stroking his thumb over your knuckles. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes, enjoying the peaceful air that surrounded you both.

The sound of his pencil scratching the paper and the occasional thunk of the mug being set back down on the table was eventually interrupted when the bell over the door jingled, breaking you out of your reverie. You opened your eyes to see that a few of the students had left the cafe, either going on to their next test or back to the library for another study book. You sighed and squeezed Hajime’s hand before slipping away, standing up and shaking out your apron.

“I need to go clean up a bit, do you want me to get you a refill?”

He peered up at you with a grin. “That sounds awesome! Thanks, babe.”

“Of course!”

As you were about to pass him on the way to one of the dirtied tables, you paused. Hajime had gone back to examining his work. A second’s hesitation and you took a sidestep closer to brush a kiss on his cheek, scampering off before he could see your glowing face. He didn’t say anything, but his hum of approval was enough to send you nearly giggling, your heart thumping in your ears and your feet walking on air as you began to pick up dishes. You knew the silly smile on your face wouldn’t go away anytime soon.

\----

You sat as close to the front of the auditorium as you could, your leg bouncing uncontrollably as you anxiously waited for the program to start. You hadn’t seen Hajime all day and you couldn’t wait to see him in his special graduation outfit. You knew he had been nervous about wearing it. It was a long-sleeved jacket with a series of buttons along the front. Everything about it screamed fragile, maybe not to most boys, but definitely for your boyfriend who had a knack to bust buttons and rip sleeves with nothing more than a sharp turn.

Finally, the lights dimmed and the principal stepped up to the mic stand, saying a few words before turning the time to the student body president, Touru. Time dragged on as his speech to the upcoming graduates went on and on. You resisted picking at your fingernails as the words blended together into mush in your brain, wanting to pay attention but wanting it to be over with already.

As soon as Touru was finished, a couple other students gave much shorter speeches and the principal came back to the mic and announced that they would be presenting the students their diplomas in alphabetical order by family name. You gave a relieved sigh. Hajime would be one of the first to walk.

The first few boys crossed the stage and you felt your uneasiness heighten to a climax when you saw Hajime step out, taking careful steps and looking more handsome than ever with his hair slicked back out of his face. You clapped wildly when he was handed his diploma and gave him an ear-splitting smile when he peered out at the audience and met your gaze. He grinned widely in return and held up an arm with his diploma. His face and arm suddenly dropped and you weren't sure what had happened to cause the change in his demeanour as he quickly made his way to the other side of the stage. A different kind of worry started to trickle through your veins. You wanted the ceremony to finish quickly so you could talk with Hajime and find out what was wrong.

You clapped politely for the rest of the third years and as soon as the principal finished his last statements you were out of your seat and wandering the center field, looking everywhere you could for your boyfriend.

Finally you saw him standing under some trees with his friends, who were laughing loudly and smacking each other with the tubes containing their diplomas. When you got closer, you called out for Hajime and he turned around at the sound of your voice, a hesitant smile spreading across his lips. He held up a hand to say goodbye to his buddies as he met you halfway.

“Hajime, are you okay? What happened onstage?”

He gave a nervous chuckle. “I may have bust a button off of my jacket when I lifted my arm.”

You looked him up and down and finally realized what he was referring to. It wasn't noticeable until you took a closer look, but there was a button missing from his uniform jacket. “Oh no, I’m sorry about that! If you want, I can find one similar and sew it on for you.”

He shook his head. “That’s okay, babe. I was planning on taking that one off anyway.”

Your eyebrows bunched together in confusion. “What do you mean? Are you sure you don't want me to fix it?”

A twitch of a smile pulled at the corner of his lips. “It’s my second button that’s missing, babe.”

You tried to figure out what he was saying. Second button? After a minute, you finally realized what he meant, a hot blush rising up your neck and tipping your ears. Hajime let out a genuine laugh at your reaction.

“You...you were going to give me? You mean you wanted me to have? Hajime, you are ridiculous.” You lifted your hands to cover your cheeks but he stopped you with his own, holding your hands in his.

“This may be an all-boys school, but that doesn't mean I can't give you my button. It's a token of how you are always present in my heart!”

“I don't need a button to know that, you already tell me that every single day!”

His teeth flashed in the sunlight as he grinned brightly at you. He leaned over to press his forehead to yours. “Speaking of, I don't think I’ve told you today! I love you so much, babe.”

You found yourself caught in his gaze, swimming in his glowing, sea blue eyes. You wouldn't give this up for the world.

“I love you, too.”


	6. Fruit with a Twist (Touya)

It was a slow afternoon at the café, the short period of time after school was out and clubs were still running. Kouhai stood behind the counter, resting her head on her arms as she stared out the café window. Not a student in sight.

With a sigh, she rolled her head to glance at the pastry display, mentally taking notes on which ones would have to go, so she could sell them discounted for the students hungry after their club activities. Sousuke would be happy, the dango was included and he was sure to get some for himself and his brother.

The jingle of the bell at the door surprised Kouhai and she jumped up away from the counter, straightening out her apron.

“Oh, Touya-senpai. What can I get for you?”

Touya stepped up to the counter, making an attempt to hide his unusually grumpy expression. “Espresso, please.”

“Sure thing, senpai. Anything else? I’m discounting the pastries right now. Half off?”

“I appreciate the offer, but all I need right now is a coffee and inspiration.” He thrust his hand towards her, offering her a large bill.

“Inspiration?” Kouhai rang up the order at the register and counted out his change. Touya promptly dropped it all in her tip jar. “Is there an assignment you’re having a hard time with?”

“Unfortunately, yes. The theme is ‘Fruit with a Twist’ and I’m having a hard time of it. All I can think of is sticking potato head features on a pineapple and I don’t know why I can’t think of anything else. It’s not really me.”

Kouhai set his mug under the coffee machine to drip. “‘Fruit with a Twist’...is your teacher asking for a still life?”

“There weren’t any specific directions for style. I would prefer still life or something along the lines of realism.”

Kouhai tapped her chin with a finger as she thought, absentmindedly passing the slightly overfilled mug of coffee over the counter. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, she came up with an plan.

“Touya-senpai, if you don’t mind waiting, I think I have an idea for you. I’ll be in the kitchen for a few minutes.”

The strain in Touya’s eyes eased as a hint of a smile touched his lips. “Kouhai, you’re the greatest. I’ll sit and wait for you.”

Kouhai skipped back through the kitchen doors before Touya had even turned around. Grabbing an apple and a paring knife, she began to slice. With efficient and practiced cuts, she dipped the apple in a small bowl of water with a dash of lemon juice. She found a cute white and red patterned plate and carefully dried and set up the slices in a way that was easy on the eyes, knowing it was just what Touya liked.

Rushing back out of the kitchen, she found Touya at one of the tables closest to the window, staring outside. Setting the plate in front of him, the sound brought him out of his thoughts and he glanced at her before looking down at the table.

Even slices of apple formed a circle, eight little rabbit-eared segments chasing after each other’s tails. It took a moment for Touya to recognize the shape, but the shining in his eyes as he gasped out loud was worth the wait.

“Kouhai, these are perfect! Making animals out of fruit, not adding things to them to make them something different. Enhancing their best features. This is brilliant. I almost don’t want to eat them.”

“They had a lemon-water bath, so they’ll stay fresh and white if you want to sketch it out first before eating them.”

“Kouhai, I could kiss you right now.” He dove into his bag and pulled out his sketchpad and pencil, flipping to an empty page and immediately putting graphite to paper. “I knew coming here would be the solution to my problem. It always is.” Touya looked over at her and smiled at her slightly flushed complexion. “You are the perfect muse.”


	7. Only For You (Wakatoshi)

You held a cotton ball carefully between your tweezers, soaking half of it with a tip of your bottle of peroxide, taking a deep breath before pressing it gently to the cuts on Wakatoshi’s face. He didn’t even flinch at what must have been an awful sting, keeping his eyes set on the café walls. Water dripped down his temple from his hair under the clean hand towel you had given him after dragging him inside. Disposing the dirtied cotton ball in a styrofoam bowl, you reached for another out of your first aid kit, using it to dry off the side of his face as best you could. Peeling a bandage open, you carefully stuck it over the cut, admiring the scattering of freckles on his nose and cheeks.

You continued in silence, moving your chair to his other side to take care of a scrape that looked even worse than the first. As you cleaned it you kept an eye on his split bottom lip that was swelling to twice its size. You weren’t sure how you should take care of it, as you didn’t want him to get any chemicals in his mouth if you could help it. Then it came to you and you nodded to yourself as you pressed the next cotton ball to the scrape, slightly entranced by the bubbling of the peroxide.

After you completed patching him up, you stood slowly. “Stay here for a moment.” His eyes flicked to yours and back to the wall as his only response. You went into the kitchen and ran the water in the sink for a minute until it warmed up. Getting another towel, you wet the corner and shut off the faucet, stepping back out to where Wakatoshi sat.

He eyed you somewhat warily as you knelt in front of him and squeezed his eyes tight as you dabbed at his lip with the towel, doing your best to not cause him any further pain as you washed the blood off. You set the towel by the bowl of used cotton balls and stood up, placing your hands on the other towel that rested on his head.

Wakatoshi’s back stiffened as you began to dry his hair, stopping you for a moment as he lifted his hands to hold onto your wrists, trembling. “Kouhai,” he muttered. “You don’t…”

“It’s only fair for me to help you. You got me out of a tight situation.” You waited for his hands to release you and slowly drop to his thighs, gripping his pants tight in his fists. Starting up your task again, you swept the towel along his long hair, unkempt and slightly sticky after falling out of his intensive hairstyle. His throat bobbed as he forced himself to swallow as you finished with the towel and began to run your hands through it, doing your best to get the tangles out with your combing fingers. “Why don’t you wear it down like this more often? It’s really pretty.”

Wakatoshi gave a non-committal hum, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. You noticed and wrapped up, wiping your fingers off on the towel before laying it on top of the other.

“Did I miss anything?”

“No. You’ve done plenty.”

A smile touched your mouth at his sharp words that were given away by the blush that was starting to creep up his neck. “Do you want to redo your hair then?”

“I don’t have any mud in my bag,” he grumbled.

“Are you going to head home? I just need to lock up the café again and I’ll be leaving, so I can’t have you stay.”

For the first time in the last hour he met your gaze. “I’ll walk you home. I don’t want those bastards to show up again and give you a hard time.” A full grin spread across your face and he flushed. He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear as he stood up and helped pack up the first aid kit. “Just be careful next time, I’m not always going to be around to protect you.”

“Maybe you should give me some lessons on self-defense. Just in case.” You picked up the trash and towels, ignoring the side-eye he was giving you.

“You won’t need it.”

“But you just said…”

“Ignore what I just said. I’ll protect you next time, too.”

You threw the bowl in the trash and the towels in a bin behind the counter, turning to face Wakatoshi. “That’s a pretty brave proposition. But you are a pretty brave guy.” At his embarrassed scoff you stepped towards him and hooked your arm around his, much to his chagrin. “Ready to take me home, my brave hero?”

“Shut up,” he said, but there was no power behind the words as you walked him towards the door. “Only for you.”


End file.
